John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, passed away on Thursday at the age of 95 in Ohio, USA. According to Reuters, John Glenn, the last surviving member of the seven astronauts from the Mercury team, the first group of American astronauts, died on Thursday at the James Cancer Hospital affiliated with Ohio State University. During the height of the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States, John Glenn orbited the Earth three times aboard a spacecraft called 'Friendship 7' on February 20, 1962. Before joining NASA, he served as a pilot during World War II and the Korean War. In 1974, he was elected as a senator from Ohio and served for 24 years as a representative of the state in the Senate. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, stated in a message: 'With John's passing, our nation has lost one of its iconic figures. When he was launched into space in 1962 from Cape Canaveral (in Florida) aboard an Atlas rocket, he carried with him the hopes of a nation.' Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, also tweeted: 'America has lost one of its great pioneers in the field of aerospace with the passing of John Glenn.' John Glenn went to space again 36 years after his historic flight. In 1998, at the age of 77, he traveled to space again, becoming the oldest person to go to space. Barack Obama honored John Glenn in 2012 by awarding him the 'Presidential Medal of Freedom.' Mr. Glenn retired from the Senate in 1999. He was born on July 18, 1921.
John Glenn, the First American Astronaut to Orbit the Earth, Passes Away
John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, has passed away at the age of 95. He was a significant figure in the U.S. space program and served as a senator for Ohio. His contributions to space exploration and politics have left a lasting legacy.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, passed away at the age of 95. He was a prominent figure in both the U.S. space program and American politics.
- Glenn orbited the Earth three times in 1962 aboard Friendship 7.
- He served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio for 24 years.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
John Glenn was a pioneering astronaut during the Cold War, a time when the U.S. and the Soviet Union competed for supremacy in space. His achievements symbolize the technological advancements and national pride of the United States.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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